Heels Leave Louisville With Big 2-1 Win

Friday, October 11

Louisville, Ky.

3 PM

North Carolina

(9-0, 4-0ACC)

Louisville

(5-8, 1-4ACC)

North Carolina

LOU

Photo by: RACHEL KLOTZ

October 11, 2024 | Field Hockey

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, KY. – The No. 1 North Carolina field hockey team had to scrap a little longer than it had grown accustomed to this season, but in the end pulled out a 2-1 victory over Louisville on Friday afternoon in Trager Stadium.

The Tar Heels (9-0, 4-0 ACC) remained unbeaten thanks to goals from Molly Catchpole and Sanne Hak in the first and fourth quarters. Head coach Erin Matson's side outshot the Cardinals, 21-4, in the match but needed Hak's winner to get past a tough Louisville defense for good.

The junior Catchpole opened the scoring in the first quarter for the Tar Heels when she found herself in a great position to redirect a shot in from Sietske Brüning from the top of the circle. The goal was Catchpole's first points since the 5-0 win against Syracuse on Sept. 20 and it couldn't have come at a better time.

In the second period, Louisville leveled the match at 1-1. Remarkably, it was the first goal allowed in the first half this season by the Tar Heels.

Midway through the fourth quarter with North Carolina in need of a score, Ryleigh Heck found Hak in space on the right side of the circle and Hak did the rest with a powerful shot that secured the win for the two-time defending national champions.

The assist for the junior forward Heck puts her in the team lead and in a tie for the conference lead for points on the season with 23. It was Hak's fourth goal of the year, putting her just one shy of her total from her debut campaign in 2023.

The Tar Heels come back to North Carolina on Sunday for a matchup in Boone with Appalachian State. The game is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on the Mountaineers' Twitch channel.